Are MSG and Accent (Seasoning) the same thing?

Question

Can the seasoning Accent be substituted for MSG, for example in General Tso's Chicken?

Answer 1

MSG is the primary ingredient in Accent. The full ingredient list for Accent "original flavor" is as follows:

Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Chili Pepper, Tricalcium Phosphate (As Anticaking Agent), Spice (Cumin, Oregano), Paprika Extractives(color), Garlic Extractives, Onion Extractives, Yellow No.6 Lake, Yellow No.5 Lake.

Answer 2

Sources say: yes!

• Spice Seasoning, Accent Seasoning, MSG
• Accent Seasoning and its benefits

This PDF also shows what you can look for on a label to indicate MSG's presence.

Answer 3

"Accent" is simply a brand name. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is the generic name of the compound.

Edit: Hobodave is also correct, and this answer might seem misleading alongside it, so I want to clarify. You rarely see pure generic MSG outside of labs and specialty stores. Normally when you see a recipe call for MSG, it is referring to one of the various brands of "MSG flavor enhancers", and Accent is the most popular one.

So, they aren't precisely the same thing, but I wouldn't even call it a substitution; Accent is what almost everyone uses when they need MSG (at least in Canada and the USA) and you can definitely use it here.